She turns her head. "Paul D.""Aw, Sethe.""I made the ink, Paul D. He couldn't have done it if I hadn't made the ink.""What ink? Who?""You shaved.""Yeah. Look bad?""No. You looking good.""Devil's confusion. What's this I hear about you not getting out of bed?"She smiles, lets it fade and turns her eyes back to the window.

　　"I need to talk to you," he tells her.

　　She doesn't answer.

　　"I saw Denver. She tell you?""She comes in the daytime. Denver. She's still with me, my Denver.""You got to get up from here, girl." He is nervous. This reminds him of something.

　　"I'm tired, Paul D. So tired. I have to rest a while."Now he knows what he is reminded of and he shouts at her, "Don't you die on me! This is BabySuggs' bed! Is that what you planning?" He is so angry he could kill her. He checks himself,remembering Denver's warning, and whispers, "What you planning, Sethe?""Oh, I don't have no plans. No plans at all.""Look," he says, "Denver be here in the day. I be here in the night. I'm a take care of you, youhear? Starting now. First off, you don't smell right. Stay there. Don't move. Let me heat up somewater." He stops. "Is it all right, Sethe, if I heat up some water?""And count my feet?" she asks him.

　　He steps closer. "Rub your feet."Sethe closes her eyes and presses her lips together. She is thinking: No. This little place by awindow is what I want. And rest. There's nothing to rub now and no reason to. Nothing left tobathe, assuming he even knows how. Will he do it in sections? First her face, then her hands, herthighs, her feet, her back? Ending with her exhausted breasts? And if he bathes her in sections, willthe parts hold? She opens her eyes, knowing the danger of looking at him. She looks at him. Thepeachstone skin, the crease between his ready, waiting eyes and sees it &mdas............